sumpsimus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Very formal, literary, historical
Quick answer
What does “sumpsimus” mean?
A correct form or expression insisted upon or adhered to, especially replacing a popular but incorrect one.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A correct form or expression insisted upon or adhered to, especially replacing a popular but incorrect one.
Adherence to a correct form, practice, or doctrine, particularly one that supersedes a traditional but erroneous version. Often used in religious or pedantic contexts to denote scrupulous correctness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare and formal in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, it carries connotations of pedantry, scrupulousness, historical reference, and deliberate correctness.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, found almost exclusively in historical, theological, or very erudite literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sumpsimus” in a Sentence
to adhere to [one's] sumpsimusto prefer [X] as a sumpsimusVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sumpsimus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The scholar sumpsimused the old liturgical text, rejecting the corrupted version.
American English
- He sumpsimused the pronunciation, insisting on the historically accurate form.
adverb
British English
- He corrected the text sumpsimusly, adhering strictly to the newly discovered manuscript.
American English
- She argued sumpsimusly for the revised doctrinal statement.
adjective
British English
- His sumpsimus attitude towards grammar made him unpopular with the creative writers.
American English
- The editor's sumpsimus approach left no room for stylistic variation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Rarely used in historical linguistics, theology, or studies of religious history to discuss doctrinal corrections.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used, albeit rarely, in philology and historical lexicography as a counterpart to 'mumpsimus'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sumpsimus”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sumpsimus”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sumpsimus”
- Confusing it with its antonym 'mumpsimus'. Using it to mean simply 'tradition' without the nuance of corrected error. Using it outside of formal/literary contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes from an anecdote about an old priest who, when corrected for saying 'mumpsimus' in the Latin Mass instead of 'sumpsimus', replied he would not change his old 'mumpsimus' for their new 'sumpsimus'. Thus, 'sumpsimus' became the term for the corrected form.
No, it is an extremely rare and erudite word. You will most likely only encounter it in historical, theological, or very advanced literary texts discussing language and correction.
'Mumpsimus' refers to a stubborn adherence to an error or incorrect form out of tradition or habit. 'Sumpsimus' is its direct antonym, referring to the correct form that is insisted upon to replace the 'mumpsimus'.
It can imply commendable accuracy and principled correction. However, it often carries a slightly negative or ironic connotation of pedantry, excessive scrupulosity, or stubbornness in enforcing the new correctness.
A correct form or expression insisted upon or adhered to, especially replacing a popular but incorrect one.
Sumpsimus is usually very formal, literary, historical in register.
Sumpsimus: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsʌmpsɪməs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsʌmpsɪməs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to prefer one's sumpsimus to another's mumpsimus”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SUMP-simus' sounds like 'SUMP pump' – it pumps OUT the old error and INSISTS on the correct form. Or: 'Strictly Upholding My Preferred, Strictly Insisted-upon, Correct' (SUMP-SI).
Conceptual Metaphor
CORRECTNESS IS PURITY (replacing a corrupt form with a pure one). ADHERENCE IS A JOURNEY (sticking to a chosen path).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'sumpsimus'?